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South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (L) holds talks with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema (C) at the African country's presidential office on Friday. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) |
South Korea's top diplomat has held talks with Zambia's president over supply chain cooperation for key minerals and other issues, the foreign ministry in Seoul said Saturday.
Foreign Minister Park Jin met with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Friday (local time) in the capital of Lusaka and stressed that cooperation between the two countries over the supply chains of cobalt, copper and other key minerals used for electric vehicle batteries will bring about mutual benefits, according to his office.
Minister Park also drummed up support for Seoul's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, and asked the Zambian president to participate in the South Korea-Africa summit slated to be held here next year.
Park is on an overseas trip that includes visits to Ethiopia, Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates.
Park's multination trip comes as Seoul is ramping up diplomatic efforts to enlist international support for its bid to host the expo in its southeastern city of Busan. The host nation is slated to be selected in November.
Park is the first South Korean foreign minister to visit Zambia since diplomatic ties between the two nations were established in 1990.
